DUI Defense

A DUI arrest is frightening, and the consequences can reach your license, your job, your insurance, and your family. An arrest is not a conviction. You have rights, and your case deserves a careful look.

I represent clients charged with misdemeanor DUI, which in Montana generally means a first, second, or third offense. I do not handle felony DUI cases.

Two cases, not one

A DUI arrest in Montana usually sets off two separate processes. The first is the criminal case, which decides whether you are convicted and what penalties apply. The second concerns your driver's license. If you refused a breath or blood test, your license may be suspended even if the criminal case is later dismissed. That suspension can be challenged in court, but the deadline to do so is short. I represent clients on both sides of the case.

What is at stake

Penalties depend on your record and the facts of your case, and they increase with each offense. They can include jail time, fines, license suspension, and required completion of Montana's alcohol and drug education program. A fourth or later DUI is a felony, and I do not represent clients on felony charges. A conviction can also affect a commercial driver's license, professional licenses, and insurance rates.

How I help

I review every part of your case, including the reason for the stop, the field sobriety tests, the breath or blood testing, and the officer's reports and video. My background as an emergency nurse helps me evaluate blood draw procedures and medical records that may bear on the test results. From there, we decide together whether to challenge the evidence, negotiate a resolution, or take the case to trial. I also represent clients in challenging license suspensions.

What to do now

Don't discuss the facts of your arrest with anyone other than your attorney, including on social media or text. Write down everything you remember while it's fresh, including where you were, what you ate and drank, and what the officer said. Keep all paperwork you were given. Then contact an attorney quickly, because the license deadline starts running right away.

I handle DUI cases for a flat fee, so you will know the cost of my representation from the start. Call (406) 609-2499 or use the contact form to schedule a consultation.